Queenstown Wine and Cardrona Distillery Tour

Highlights

  • This morning I’ll pick you up at your Hotel and we’ll drive up over the Crown Range towards Cardrona, we’ll stop for an amazing photo shot looking back towards the Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu. It’s then a short drive through the Cardrona Valley until we arrive at the Cardrona Distillery and Museum. The Cardrona Distillery is located in a beautifully designed group of buildings housing the very best in copper stills to make beautifully crafted spirits. The spirits are hand-crafted from scratch starting with just malted barley, water, and yeast. The Classic Distillery Tour will take us on a journey through the working distillery and barrelhouse and finishes with a tutored tasting of Cardrona Distillery’s artisan spirits. It is a proud tradition that many distilleries offer casks for Private filling each year. The Cardrona Distillery is carrying on this fine tradition by offering a small number of cask for filling with new make spirit that will mature into the single malt whisky – The Cardrona Private Cask purchasers will savour the taste of their own single barrel expression of this special and rare southern spirit. Established in 1863 the Cardrona Hotel is one of New Zealand’s oldest and most iconic hotels and is one of only two remaining buildings from the Cardrona Valley gold rush era. We will stop here for a walk through the hotel, a cold beverage if you’re inclined and snap that iconic photo shot!  Lunch Recommendations (at own expense) Cardrona Hotel – offers traditional pub favourites with a twist, using the freshest seasonal produce from the region.  Gibbston Valley Winery Restaurant – offers a seasonal menu featuring carefully selected ingredients that reflect local flavours with both an à la carte menu and 2 course wine matched options.  Amisfield Bistro – multi-award winning restaurant offers a 3 course ‘Trust the Chef’ lunch with optional wine matching.  After lunch, we will drive through the Gibbston Valley wine region and visit some of the top wineries to sample more stunning  wines and we’ll also stop in at a new boutique tasting room. Wet Jacket Cellar Door is located in a beautifully converted 150-year-old former wool shed and their wines are only available here and in a few of the top restaurants in the country. On our return back to Queenstown, we will drive through Arrowtown a small Gold miners village before returning to your hotel.

Summary

This morning I’ll pick you up at your Hotel and we’ll drive up over the Crown Range towards Cardrona, we’ll stop for an amazing photo shot looking back towards the Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu. It’s then a short drive through the Cardrona Valley until we arrive at the Cardrona Distillery and Museum. The Cardrona Distillery is located in a beautifully designed group of buildings housing the very best in copper stills to make beautifully crafted spirits. The spirits are hand-crafted from scratch starting with just malted barley, water, and yeast. The Classic Distillery Tour will take us on a journey through the working distillery and barrelhouse and finishes with a tutored tasting of Cardrona Distillery’s artisan spirits. It is a proud tradition that many distilleries offer casks for Private filling each year. The Cardrona Distillery is carrying on this fine tradition by offering a small number of cask for filling with new make spirit that will mature into the single malt whisky – The Cardrona Private Cask purchasers will savour the taste of their own single barrel expression of this special and rare southern spirit. Established in 1863 the Cardrona Hotel is one of New Zealand’s oldest and most iconic hotels and is one of only two remaining buildings from the Cardrona Valley gold rush era. We will stop here for a walk through the hotel, a cold beverage if you’re inclined and snap that iconic photo shot!  Lunch Recommendations (at own expense) Cardrona Hotel – offers traditional pub favourites with a twist, using the freshest seasonal produce from the region.  Gibbston Valley Winery Restaurant – offers a seasonal menu featuring carefully selected ingredients that reflect local flavours with both an à la carte menu and 2 course wine matched options.  Amisfield Bistro – multi-award winning restaurant offers a 3 course ‘Trust the Chef’ lunch with optional wine matching.  After lunch, we will drive through the Gibbston Valley wine region and visit some of the top wineries to sample more stunning  wines and we’ll also stop in at a new boutique tasting room. Wet Jacket Cellar Door is located in a beautifully converted 150-year-old former wool shed and their wines are only available here and in a few of the top restaurants in the country. On our return back to Queenstown, we will drive through Arrowtown a small Gold miners village before returning to your hotel.

Tour info

Duration
7 hours 30 minutes
Group Size
Pricing (From)
Commentary
Meeting Point
Dropoff location

Why take this tour?

Combine stunning wine in Gibbston Valley with artisian spirits from the Southern Alps. Journey through the working distillery and barrelhouse finishing with a tutored tasting at the Cardrona Distillery and Museum. A brief stop at the iconic Cardrona Hotel before we visit the stunning Gibbston wine region, experiencing wine tastings at the top wineries and cellar doors.

What’s included?

  • Local taxes

  • Bottled water

  • Wine tasting fees

  • Professional Driver/guide

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

  • Private tour

  • Transportation

  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)

  • Lunch

  • Gratuities

Things to know

Before you book

  • Duration: 7h 30m

  • Mobile tickets accepted

  • Instant confirmation

Cancellation Policy

    For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

Operated by:

Alpine Luxury Tours

About operator:

Alpine Luxury Tours creates unforgettable customized luxury tours with a private guide for people who dream big and demand the best. We show people New Zealand in ways they never thought were possible. Our experienced team of local experts go above and beyond to provide truly unforgettable, luxury experiences. Based in Queenstown New Zealand, our local knowledge enables exclusive access to some of New Zealand’s most stunning destinations. Through the eyes of our local guides, we love being able to share them with you Family owned and operated, we take pride in luxury and environmental practices above all else. Our bespoke tours regularly see guest take to the skies and the seas in privately chartered helicopters, planes and cruise vessels – each available at a moment's notice. Because when your trip to Queenstown is an all-access-pass to stunning vistas and adventurous activities, who better to show than people who have called it home for decades?

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